Tub-hoop



(No Model.)

H. M. LOURIE.

TUB HOOP.

No. 386,478. Patented July 24, 1888.

witnesses Q I awua/vwoz mw iawawmm I 3313 hi} a t-b11421 UN Tsn STATESPATENT QITFTCEQ HERBERT M. LOURIE, OF KEOKUK, 10? A.

TUB=HOOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,478, dated July 24,1888.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Hnuunnr M. LoURIn, a citizen of the United States,residing atKeokuk, in the county of Lee and State of Iowa, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Tulrl loops; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of devices which are adapted toconnect the ends of a metallic hoop together, thus becoming a part ofthe hoop and called hoop-lugs. The staves of a common wash-tub areparticularly liable to shrink and allow the hoop to drop off, owing tothe fact that the hot water used in them swells the fibers of the woodto their greatest extent for one day in a week, usually, and then thetub, being set away for the other six days, frequently becomes very dryand shrunken, and common tub'hoops have no provision allowed wherebythey may be mechanically reduced in size to meet the shrinkage.

The object of this invention is to adapt a hoop for wash-tubs to bereduced or expanded at will to the extentrequired to meet the shrinkageand swell of the tub.

To this end my invention consists in the construction and combination ofparts forming a hoop proper and a doublelug,as hereinafter described andclaimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure I represents aside elevation of a portion of a hoop showing myinvention. Fig. II is a plan view, and Fig. III is an underside view, ofthe same. Fig. IV is a central longitudinal section of my double lug inthe plane of the hoop. Fig. Y is a transverse section of the lug at theline m :r.

Nu mber6 represents one lug, 7 the other lug, and 16 the side barsjoining the two lugs forming my doublelng. The lug 6 isbored throughlongitudinally to receive one end of a wire hoop, S. This end of thehoop is screwthreaded to receive a screw-nut, 9. The lug 7 is cast witha longitudinal slot, 10, in its under sideto receive the opposite end ofthe hoop 8, which is provided with a head, 11. This head may be formeddirectly upon the wire of the hoop by upsetting its end, or it may beformed by a nut screwed or otherwise secured upon the wire; or a smallhead may be re enforced by a washer, 12, to provide sufficient surfaceto engage the shoulder 13 of the lug. The aperture 14 between the bars16 is wide enough to admit the hoop end with the head 11 and washer 12.

15 represents two shelves at the sides of the groovelO,projeetingin wardfrom the sidebars, 16, and from the shoulder 13 to engage the edge ofthe hoop-head, or the washer when the lattcr is in place, as shown, tokeep the lug from disengaging the head or washer even though the ends ofthe hoop were to approach each other somewhat by the shrinking of thetub, and to keep the hoop-head in the lug while the hoop is beingtightened by means of the screw-nut 9.

\Vhile the whole amount of shrinkage in a common wash-tub would probablynot exceed one-quarter of an inch in general use, I would adapt my lugand the screw on the hoop to a range of about three-quarters of an inchof ad j ustm en t. p

In applying this hoop it is only necessary to place the hoop proper, 8,with the double lug attached to it by the nut 9, around the tub, bringits head 11 to the aperture It in thelug, and press the lug back againstthe tub and let the hoop go. Its natural effort to straighten itselfdraws the head to its scat above the shelves 15 against the shoulder 13,and, however loose it may be on the tub, the hoop has no tendency todisengage at the lug.

This hoop may be used with parallel-sided staves. In any case theshrinkage of the tub renders it liable to fall off, and to preventthis Iprovide staples 17, to be driven loosely over the hoop into the tub.Three staples are enough to produce the best result with each hoop, andtwo would do very Well.

The hoop is preferably of wire; but it may be flat or other formed hoopmetal along its body and reduced at its ends to form the screw and headdescribed. It is evident that each end of the hoop might be providedwith a screw, ascrew-nut, and washer, and that both of the lugs 6 and 7might be provided with the slot 10 and shelves 15 without departing fromthe characteristics of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to secure byLetters Patent is the following claim:

1. The combination, in a tub-hoop, of a the side bars, 16, and theshelves 15, each of hoop-body provided with ahead at one end, a the endlugs having a longitudinal aperture, screw and a nut therefor at theother end, and one of them having a slot at its back, substanthe doublelug described, comprising two end tially as shown and described. 15

5 lugs joined by two side bars, all in one piece, I In testimonywhereofI affix my signatureiu one of the lugs being slotted in its backand presence of two witnesses. provided with shelves at the sides of theslot, and the other lug having a, longitudinal aperture in it,substa,utially as shown and described. Witnesses:

1o 2. The double lug for hoops described, com- W. J. SOHLOTTER,

prising the two end lugs, 6 and 7, joined by NANNIE M. SMITH.

HERBERT M. LOURIE.

